


Nothing’s Going to Stop Us Now

by luvsbitca, Moonbeam (luvsbitca)



Series: The Catalyst Ship [3]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Sokovia Accords
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:40:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 5,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23093455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luvsbitca/pseuds/luvsbitca, https://archiveofourown.org/users/luvsbitca/pseuds/Moonbeam
Summary: A direct sequel to ‘Something Real They Took From Me’. When Clint hands Coulson the Sokovia Accords, they can’t know that it will end with Clint in jail and them rescuing Steve and Bucky following the big fight with Tony.
Relationships: Clint Barton/Phil Coulson, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: The Catalyst Ship [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/619207
Comments: 3
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer –** I don’t own anything. 
> 
> Batman vs. Superman was on TV one night and I got suckered in and it made me think about how much better the MCU is and then I started thinking about the previous story and this one which was half written on my computer and here we are. It’s all finished so I’ll be posting it over the next few days.  
> When I first saw Civil War, I thought of this story and started writing it but I’ve struggled to write anything in a long while so I didn’t finish it until just now.

**Nothing's Going to Stop Us Now  
** by Moonbeam

Clint placed the Sokovia Accords on Phil's desk and slouched down into the seat.

"I've seen these," Coulson said, "Talbot gave me a head's up about it."

"Secretary of State Ross has presented them to the Avengers," Clint explained. "It's a sign or retire situation."

Phil's lips thinned. "I can't do anything, we're not official."

"That's not what I'm expecting. Nat tried to contact Fury but he's fallen off the radar."

"I'll try and reach out to him," Phil offered. He flicked the document. "What's the feeling among the Avengers?"

"Steve's opposed."

Phil nodded. "He'd see this as another opportunity for a HYDRA situation, and he's a leader. If something goes wrong, he wants the blame to begin and end with him – then he knows everything happens for the 'right' reason."

Clint smiled. "Tony's for it."

"Really?"

Clint nodded. "Nat said he was for it from the start."

Phil frowned at him. "That would be a surprise, except…it makes sense."

"How does Tony Stark siding with someone telling him what to do make sense."

"Look at everything that's happened in the last ten years – he finds out his weapons are being used by terrorists. He tries to fix it and his mentor turns around and tries to kill him. He comes out as Iron Man, puts on a huge technological show and someone from his past comes back, trashes the show, and tries to kill everyone there. He builds an amazing technologically advanced building and it's used to open a portal to another world and almost destroys New York and he almost loses his life. He and Bruce want to bring about world peace and instead he creates a monster that almost destroys an entire country and breaks the Avengers. He wants to do the right thing but Tony never learned how to moderate his actions or his reactions. He feels guilty about everything that has happened and if this is a way to protect him from himself, he's going to do it."

Clint couldn't resist smiling at Phil – his sheer competence and skill had always been something that Clint loved about him.

"Who else supports signing the Accords?"

"Vision and Rhodey."

"Both make sense."

"And Nat."

Phil froze. "She is?"

"Yep, apparently she even said that Tony was right."

"I…" Phil trailed off. "I imagine she regretted that."

"Almost immediately."

"What are you going to do?" Phil asked, watching Clint closely.

"The option was sign or retire…are you looking for a full-time specialist?"

"You're planning on retiring?"

"I might have already said something along that line but it's not official. What do you think?"

Phil stood up and walked around the desk to crouch in front of Clint. "I will support you in whatever you want to do."

Clint smiled. "I know, but I would like your option, love."

"I know that no government agency is capable of being completely unbiased or incorruptible and there is nothing to say that political climates won't alter the mandate of the oversight agency and we all know that there will be a lot going on behind the scenes that the Avengers will never hear about. HYDRA were insidious and they might be nothing compared to a 'legitimate' government agency."

Clint's lips quirked. "I don't trust the government at the best of times."

"You need to do whatever you have to."

"I don't want to sign. I want to stay with you. The only way forward I can see is leaving the Avengers and signing on with you."

"You know," Phil said, standing up and pulling Clint up as well, sliding his arms around the archer's waist. "There is another option."

"I don't see one."

"The Romans used to call up farmers when they were needed. Say we had a farmer living on base who we asked to help us out only when we really needed him. He'd never show up on any official record even when this new incarnation of S.H.I.E.L.D. exits the shadows. Which will happen eventually."

"And this farmer living on base would he be able to live with his husband?"

"It would be a requirement."

"And his security clearance?"

"As high as it's ever been of course."

"And his pay?"

Phil laughed. "That I will need to give some more thought to, it would need to be creatively accounted."

"Good thing I married a sexy accountant."

"You know I don't have any accounting experience."

"Don't ruin my fantasies."

Phil shook his head. "It's just another option. Whatever you want to do we will make it work."

"I know I don't want to sign."

"Then you still have two options."

"And if I don't sign on with S.H.I.E.L.D. then I would just be a private citizen."

"Yes."

"That thought is a lot more appealing than it's ever been before," Clint admitted, dropping his head down and resting his forehead on the knot of Phil's tie.

Phil's fingers carded through Clint's hair for several minutes before he spoke. "That's a good thing, right?"

"I don't know."

"I think it is."

"I think it might be too."

"Then I think," Phil said. "That it might be time for you to head down to the archery range."

"What I really need is an audience, a moving target, and a prancing horse."

Phil shrugged. "I can't offer that but we'll talk if we ever get an official budget."

"Then the range is where I'll be," Clint said, stepping back and slipping out of the door before Phil was able to say anything.

-)(-)(-


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm retiring," Clint said, sitting on the floor of their quarters knitting. Phil frowned at the needles – Clint only tended to knit when he was upset.

"Why are you knitting?"

"Because shooting arrows didn't help, so I came up here to knit and I realised that I only really had one option that I wanted or could live with."

"The knitting still concerns me."

"I want to finish this beanie."

Phil looked at the ear flap that Clint was currently working on and just knew it was going to be for him. "I'm only wearing it at the farm."

"And we might even be able to visit more often when I'm an…oh my god, Phil, do you realise that I am going to be an old retired man with you paying for me…I am finally a proper toy boy."

Phil slapped his forehead with his palm and groaned; he was going to hear about that again…and Tony was going to bring it up as well…a lot.

"I'm going to send an official letter to Ross tomorrow."

Phil nodded and moved into the kitchen to pull the leftovers from the night before from his small fridge and arrange them on two plates.

"He is apparently quite critical about the fact that we've misplaced Bruce…and he put it like that; misplaced."

"Well, it's not a surprise, is it?" Phil debated making some fresh garlic bread to go with the leftover lasagne.

"Why isn't it a surprise?"

"Given he's Betty's father."

"Who's Betty?"

Phil turned around and frowned at Clint. "Dr Elizabeth Ross," Clint shrugged. "She was engaged to Bruce, she was involved in the experiment that created the Hulk, she was the only thing that we know for sure could reach the Hulk until he showed a fondness for Tony and the team."

"Bruce was engaged?"

"This cannot be news," Phil said. "He must have mentioned Betty, from my intel he was deeply in love with her."

"Deeply in love?"

"Yes," Phil said slowly, deciding he'd definitely make them some garlic bread. "I'm surprised she never came to the Tower."

"Seriously?" Clint asked. "How did Bruce, Bruce Banner, keep this huge secret from two of the world's best spies…and JARVIS?"

Phil shrugged. "Perhaps he asked JARVIS nicely not to mention it."

"Tony programmed JARVIS, do you honestly think that asking nicely is the way to get around the programming?"

Phil smiled. "I've asked JARVIS nicely before."

"And did it work?"

"Yep."

"Your powers are mystic and unknown."

"Your power is annoying people when you think it's funny."

Clint laughed. "Make me garlic bread, husband, I need to do some research on Betty Ross."

Phil left him to it.

-)(-)(-


	3. Chapter 3

Phil Coulson had his eye on the TV, and most of his focus on the documents in front of him, as the newsreader was explaining exactly what was happening in Vienna when there was an explosion on the screen in the background and Phil's whole attention diverted to his computer. He slipped into the sites that would give him live updates of what was going on as he lifted the phone and called Bobbi.

"Director?"

"Agent Morse, are you still in contact with Agent Romanoff?"

"Negative, she was in the room when the detonation occurred, they are still trying to make sure it's safe for the rescue workers to get in. We were evacuated but there are still people coming down."

"Is there any information about who set the bomb?"

"Nothing yet."

"Keep me informed."

"Yes, Sir."

Coulson shut down the connection and started looking into all of the information that was streaming in from various sources.

"Send me out," Clint said, striding into the office.

"You're retired, and I don't know what we are looking at yet."

"You can just send me on a holiday then."

"I might need to send you on a holiday somewhere else but you should be-"

Coulson's phone rang, he frowned at Clint and then picked it up. "Thank you for calling Shield Insurance, for all of your insurance needs, how can I-"

"Director Coulson?"

Phil looked at Clint and hit the loudspeaker button. "Steve? I've got Clint here as well."

"Do you have any news?"

"Agent Romanoff was in the building when the explosion went off, I haven't had any communication from her but Agents Morse and Hunter are on the ground in Vienna and are investigating. What do you know?"

"King T'Chaka is dead."

"A great loss to his people."

"Yes, but why would someone target this particular conference – we have sorted out who would and wouldn't sign without explosives. I have decided to retire quietly. Have you heard anything about groups or people who were opposed to the Accords."

"A lot of the information out there was on the side of defending the Avengers – some of your greatest advocates have been saved by the Avengers and their composite members. There was more chatter about the negative impact the Accords would have, and the people planning to take advantage, than there was about people looking to do something like this."

"So, you don't know what the purpose of this could have been," Captain America summarised.

Skye rushed into the office. "I have video."

"Show us," Coulson said. "Please wait, Captain Rogers."

"The CIA were just behind me so this will be common knowledge soon," Daisy said, hitting the commands to play the video.

"Sargent Barnes?" Coulson whispered under this breath not believing what his brain was telling him – why would the man come out of deep hiding to do this?

"Bucky?" Steve said over the phone line. "It's Bucky?"

Phil swore under his breath; he was always forgetting that Captain America had amazing hearing as well as everything else. "There is no way of knowing for sure."

"But you recognised him."

"It's him," Clint said. "I recognise him too. If not, it's someone who looks a lot like him."

"I need to find him," Steve said.

"I'll start looking for him," Skye said, rushing out of the office.

"Clint," Steve's voice changed and then paused.

"Whatever you need, Steve."

"I'm not sure yet."

"But when you do, let me know and I'll be there."

"You're retired, if you'd like to sit this one out."

"He's Bucky," Clint said, sliding a hand to the back of Phil's neck and lacing his fingers in the soft hair there. "We'll do whatever we can to help."

Phil pressed back into his hand, knowing they were both thinking about finding one another again. "I've been keeping an eye on some individuals who are not covered by the Accords and might be able to help."

"Thank you, Director Coulson."

"We will send you any information we uncover. Will you be keeping this phone?"

"Yes, it's apparently untraceable to me; Sam set it up for me."

"Good." There was an alert from his computer and he focussed on the screen while Steve and Clint talked in the background. He heard Clint and Steve discussing some of the archer's connections while he familiarised him with the new information. He focussed back in on them as they were saying goodbye to offer his farewells.

Clint sat across from him for a few minutes as Coulson read the information on the screen in front of him. When Coulson had all of the information available, he looked up.

"Do you think it's Bucky?"

"I don't know," Phil admitted. "But, we are going to find out and if it is, we'll work out why."

"Steve isn't going to let him go to jail easy."

Coulson smiled. "Steve isn't going to let him go to jail at all, he found out the love of his life is still alive and he's going to chase him down until he's caught him and to hell with anyone who gets in his way."

-)(-)(-


	4. Chapter 4

Steve pulled the phone out of his pocket.

"Hello?"

"Bucharest," Director Coulson told him. "Agent…CIA Operative Carter will be able to give you full details."

"Thank you, Director."

"Well?" Sam asked.

"We need to see ex-nurse Carter."

"Why?"

"She knows more about where Bucky is."

"Then we need to see her," Sam said, pulling out his phone. He got the information they needed, they saw _ex-nurse Carter_ and then everything went to shit and he ended up in jail.

-)(-)(-


	5. Chapter 5

Phil Coulson called Tony Stark.

"Agent."

"Why is my husband in jail?"

"He broke the law."

Phil sighed his displeasure. "He didn't sign the Accords."

"He's-"

"I am well aware of where he is," Phil cut in. "When you get there say this to him…you have a wife and kids, why didn't you think of them."

"Why?"

"Because I asked you to," Phil told him and hung up.

Tony looked down at his phone. "Well played, Agent, well played."

-)(-)(-


	6. Chapter 6

Steve hitched Bucky up higher as they stumbled through the wreckage and outside to the cold. Steve stopped when they were standing in the snow, he closed his eyes for a moment and wanted to go back for Tony but he knew he couldn't.

"He'll forgive you," Bucky said.

"Maybe," Steve said. "Did you remember…come on, let's get to the quinjet."

Bucky nodded and took a little more of his weight so they could stumble towards the plane. As soon as they were inside, Steve lowered him gently and took the controls. When they were in the air, he enabled the stealth mode and pointed the plane south.

"I don't know where we can go," Steve admitted. "We need to find a safe place to think."

"You need to get me out of commission."

"No," Steve said, flicking the controls over to autopilot and coming to stand in front of Bucky. "I just got you back, I am not leaving you again and I am not going to let you leave me either."

"I'm a liability so long as this shit is in my head."

"I don't care."

"Stevie-"

"Don't try Stevie on me, I am not going to lose you again. We are stronger together – we've always been stronger together."

Bucky dropped his head down, forehead resting on Steve's chest. "Steve."

Steve threaded his fingers through Bucky's hair and dropped his head down to breath Bucky in for a moment.

"We're going to work this out, Buck, we're going to set down somewhere isolated and we're going to work out how to disappear and if no one knows who you are, no one will be able to use the Red Room conditioning against you."

"You're a stubborn punk."

"Jerk."

-)(-)(-


	7. Chapter 7

Steve stopped, staring at the man in front of him. Coulson waved at him from across the street and then turned and walked towards the corner. Steve touched Bucky's elbow and the two of them started following Coulson. They found themselves in an alley behind a Thai restaurant, the sounds of the kitchen filtering out to them.

"Coulson."

"Captain, Sargent."

Bucky stared at Coulson with a frown between his eyebrows. "Who are you?"

"Phil Coulson, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., it's a pleasure to meet you, Sargent Barnes."

"Steve?"

"He's trustworthy," Steve told Bucky. "But, I don't know what you're doing here."

"I came to talk to you about your options, and ask for your help."

"I'm listening," Steve said.

"Let's get somewhere safer," Coulson said. "The quinjet is on the roof of that building. I assume you can both get there easily enough."

Bucky looked at the building and then nodded.

"What about you?" Steve asked.

"No one's looking for me. Get to the roof, I'll explain everything when we're in the air. May is our pilot today."

Steve nodded firmly and then reached out and grabbed onto Phil's arm. "I am sorry about Clint."

Coulson smiled. "He isn't."

"You've spoken to him?"

Coulson shook his head. "I don't need to, he's my husband."

"You and Clint are married?" Bucky asked.

"Yes, we're short on time – someone recognised you from the bombing and there are police on the way. I'll meet you on the roof."

Steve nodded and Coulson slipped past them while Steve and Bucky started scaling the building until they were on the roof. They found Agent May, and a quinjet, waiting for them.

"Agent May, it's nice to see you again," Steve said. "This is Bucky Barnes."

"I know."

Bucky smiled at her, he liked people who didn't chatter. Once upon a time he hadn't minded chatter but now it was too much noise. They stood in silence for a few minutes until the door to the roof opened and Coulson walked quickly over to them.

"We need to move," Coulson said, motioning them all into the quinjet.

Steve turned around to find May already in the cockpit, preparing to fly. As soon as the bay doors were closed, they were up and in the air.

"Are we cloaked?" Steve asked.

"Yes," May told them, quite obviously focussed on what was happening in front of them and not the three men standing awkwardly in the cargo area.

"Have a seat," Coulson offered. "Do you need any medical assistance, food, water, anything at all really."

"I could use some water," Bucky admitted.

Coulson nodded and pressed a button to open one of the compartments and pulled out two bottles of water. He handed them over and then sat down across from Bucky and Steve.

"I'm not going to sugar coat this," Coulson said. "I know Bucky is still open to HYDRA Red Room trigger words."

"Yes," Bucky said, too exhausted to be defensive even though Steve had tensed next to him.

"We have some experience with their techniques and have had success breaking the training."

"Are you sure?" Steve asked.

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

May made a noise from the cockpit.

"Okay, I would still be here. Big fan of you, Sargent Barnes, but I truly believe we can help. You could be a huge asset to the world in whatever is coming next, Sargent, but we need to break the brainwashing first."

"I'll try," Bucky said.

"Buck, you don't need to, we can just disappear like we planned."

"And where are we going to go, Steve?"

"Anywhere," Steve vowed passionately. "I don't care where we need to go, we can disappear and make this work."

"And the next time the world needs saving?"

"The Avengers will go and do it," Steve said.

"The Avengers are three guys now," Bucky told him. "You're the Avengers, Steve, back then we followed you into war and you went and found another group of people who'd do the same damned thing. Don't tell me you could ever stay out of the fight."

Steve's expression turned mulish, like he'd been pushed down in the fight and Bucky had told him to stay down.

"If I can offer an outside perspective," Phil cut in.

Steve turned away from Bucky and nodded.

"Bucky has the right to choose this for himself."

Steve's fists clenched and he glared at Coulson. The man in the suit shrank back at a little at the move.

"Steve," Bucky said quietly. "I know you want to protect me."

"You have had your head played with enough."

"And this time I'm willing to do it so I can never be controlled like that again."

"I have Simmons ready to work with Bucky as soon as we get back to the Playground, our base, and you can be with them every second, Steve."

"And if it doesn't work, or he doesn't want to do it anymore?" Steve asked.

"Then I'll have Skye…Daisy, I'll have Daisy create you new identities and you'll disappear to some small town in Australia, or something."

"Australia?"

"It's a good place to disappear – I think the two of you would do a well on a sheep station."

"You would let us go?" Steve asked.

"Yes."

"Even though we are fugitives from the U.N.?"

Coulson shrugged. "That comes back to the second part of our conversation. I need your help to break my husband out of jail."

Steve laughed. "And then what are you going to do with him?"

"Reward him with a holiday at our farmhouse."

"I like him," Bucky said. "And if you trust him, I'll help him break his husband out of jail, and the other people who helped us, and then I'm going to get HYDRA out of my head."

"I have Fitz and Daisy looking into Prison 42 to see how we can break in." Coulson explained.

"What will happen to Sam, Wanda, and Scott?" Steve asked.

"They can stay with me at S.H.I.E.L.D., help us where possible. You and Bucky can stay too. We have a secondary facility. It could be the new Avengers base."

"We're not the Avengers," Steve said. "Stark is the Avengers."

"Then it can be a superhero base for people that don't want to be controlled by the Sokovian Accords. I'm not sure how that's going to break down into an acronym."

Steve looked at Bucky and then to Coulson.

Coulson stood up. "I'll just go up and help May fly this plane."

May made another displeased noise but Coulson still left them, pressing a button on the way and creating a barrier between the two areas.

"Do you trust him?" Bucky asked.

"Yes."

"Then I'm going to trust him as well. But I want you there."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"There's a person you left behind," Bucky said, not wanting to say her name.

"We're getting them out of prison," Steve said.

Bucky looked into Steve's eyes and saw that the other man truly hadn't thought about the blonde from Berlin and even if it was selfish and unkind Bucky wasn't going to be bringing her up again.

"No matter how this plays out, I'm not leaving you, Buck."

Bucky took comfort from the words even if he didn't really believe them.

"Hey," Steve said, grabbing his arm. "I'm with you until the end of the line."

Bucky nodded, looking across the plane and not at Steve.

-)(-)(-


	8. Chapter 8

Coulson was waiting in the landing bay when they returned, he smiled at Steve but his eyes didn't light up until he saw Clint.

"Hello everyone, welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D., my name is Director Coulson, I understand you have people you want to contact. We have a room set up for each of you where you can securely contact them and shower, change, and rest. In the morning we will meet to organise your next steps. Sam, this is Hunter, he will take you to your room, Wanda, your room is next to Sam's. Steve and Bucky, please go with Mack – he will show you to your rooms. Clint, if you could come with me."

Everyone dispersed and Clint waited until the room was clear before he grinned at Coulson and sidled over to him. He pressed his way into the other man's personal space and rested his hands on Phil's hips.

"I'm glad to have you back," Phil said, yanking the other man closer and kissing him.

"I'm glad to have a husband who loves me enough to break me out of jail using a Cold War assassin and a national treasure."

Phil smiled and led Clint back to their rooms.

-)(-)(-


	9. Chapter 9

The next day, Steve, Bucky, Sam, Wanda, and Clint sat down with Coulson and May.

"You are all fugitives," Coulson said to start. "I understand that is why Scott Lang refused the offer to be rescued."

"He has a daughter and hoped to be able to see her again," Sam explained. "Hopefully, the fact he didn't come will work in his favour."

"I have contacted a lawyer to help him," Phil said.

"The rest of you have some options. You are welcome to stay here and join us in our fight against HYDRA and other threats to the Earth. Alternately, you are welcome to stay here in a form of sanctuary or we can find a way for you to disappear."

"You would help us disappear?" Wanda asked.

"If that is what you want, yes."

"Can we think about it?" she asked.

"Of course, take some time. We have some business with Sargent Barnes today. You are welcome to explore the base but I need to ask you to stay within this complex until we can be sure we can keep you safe. This is for your protection and our own."

Wanda and Sam nodded.

"Then May will escort Sam and Wanda to breakfast." The three left and it was just the four of them in the room. "Sargent Barnes-"

"Please call me Bucky."

"Bucky, Simmons and Fitz are ready for you in the lab. I have to warn you, I have been in the machine we are going to use, and it is not a pleasant experience."

"I'm used to those."

"But this is the last one," Steve said. "After this, there's not going to be any more pain."

"That's not how life works, Steve."

"We're going to live on a sheep station in the Australian outback, I did some research last night and it's a great option."

"Steve, you've been fighting for the right thing since we were kids – that's not going to stop tomorrow."

"Yes it is. And as soon as you have the Red Room out of your head our lives start again, together."

Bucky frowned at him.

"Shall we," Coulson said, standing.

They made their way to the lab and Steve froze when he saw the machine that Coulson had used when they first found the new S.H.I.E.L.D. "No, no, no, that machine can kill you."

"Me," Phil said, "and only because of T.A.H.I.T.I. and only because I'm human. Sargent Barnes is much more resilient than I am."

"That's a nice way of putting it," Bucky said.

"Sargent Barnes," Phil said. "This is Simmons and Fitz, they will be operating the machine today. Basically, though they can explain in much more detail, the machine targets certain parts of the brain and can be used to break the conditioning hopefully."

"Hopefully," Bucky said. "Where do you want me?"

"On the-the-the bed," Fitz said. "Head down t-that end."

Bucky laid down, forcing himself to breath out slowly and not thinking about all of the-Steve grabbed his hand and squeezed.

"I'm here, Buck, I'm not going anywhere."

Simmons moved the head apparatus down until it was in place and then stepped back. "Are you ready to start, Sargent Barnes?"

"Yes," Bucky said, squeezing Steve's hand. The first flush of pain was familiar but…less, less invasive than he was used to.

"Sargent Barnes, I need you to think about the Red Room," Simmons said. "We need to locate the memories of the conditioning so we can start breaking it."

Bucky thought back to the first time – waking up after the fall and then followed the memories along as Simmons led him. It took them hours to find the right memories and a few incredibly painful minutes to burn the memories from him.

"How can we be sure it worked?" Bucky asked, gulping down the water Phil handed him.

Phil looked at Bucky for a few minutes and then pulled the paper out of his pocket. "I obtained the phrase book. It has been destroyed but I kept the trigger words so we could test it if this worked. Simmons, Fitz, if you could excuse us?"

The two scientists nodded and left, locking the door behind them.

Bucky looked at Steve. "You ready to take me out if needed?"

"Yes," Steve said, looking at Clint who nodded and nocked an arrow.

"Желание. Семнадцать. Ржавый. Рассвет. Печь. Девять. Добросердечный. Возвращение на родину. Один. Товарный вагон," Phil said, then watched Bucky closely. Bucky held his breath and waited. And waited. And then looked at Steve with something like hope blooming in his eyes.

Steve took two steps over to him, caught his hand and pulled him into a kiss. Bucky kissed him for a moment and then pulled back.

"Steve?"

"With you till the end of the line, Bucky, it's always been you and you know it."

"Well," Phil said. "We'll just be going."

Before they could move, Bucky grabbed Steve's hand and started striding for the door. Phil darted over and unlocked it and then watched the two men march away quickly.

"So," Clint said. "Captain America is about to get laid for the first time since the 40s."

Phil blushed.

"You're not jealous, are you?" Clint asked.

Phil rolled his eyes at Clint. "Why, I got laid last night."

"But I know Captain America had your heart first."

"And you will have it last."

Clint leaned over and kissed Phil on the cheek. "If I was the type to swoon."

"I would catch you. Shall we go to my office via our room?"

"When Steve comes up for air, let's take a week and leave him in charge so we can go to the farmhouse. The visit last month was too short."

Phil loved the idea, but didn't think Steve would like it quite so much.

-)(-)(-


	10. Chapter 10

Steve closed the door behind him and looked at Bucky who was pacing in front of him.

"Buck?"

"What was that?"

"I love you, James."

Bucky froze.

"I've been in love with you in one way or another since the day you punched Tommy Greenwick on the nose because he pushed me over."

"And you chewed my ear off all the way back from the park about how you could have taken him yourself."

"And we became best friends."

"And we became best friends," Bucky agreed.

"And later I was just in love with you and we…" Steve froze and shrugged, he'd never really learned to talk about sex even in the army and he and Bucky hadn't _talked_ about it. Back then it was something that some guys did but no one talked about it even if everyone knew which roommates were never going to find a wife. But, Bucky had also dated around and no one had known about them but them.

"We fooled around some," Bucky finished for him.

"Yeah."

"But then Peggy."

Steve smiled. "I loved Peggy, just not like I love you, Buck. I thought you'd died and I never got to tell you. I woke up in this world where people don't have to pretend anymore and you were dead and there has never been anyone else but you. Not really, maybe…maybe something would have happened with Peggy but I don't think I ever could have stopped loving you and I couldn't have done anything with her while I was in love with you. Wouldn't have been fair to anyone. Then you came back from the dead and I…but you weren't really there. Now you are here and there is no excuse that will ever be good enough to make me walk away again so I kissed you because I wanted to."

"I'm not the same."

"Neither am I," Steve said. "And not just because I'm taller."

"I'm broken, Steve."

"No, you are not, you are anything but broken. Don't you understand that you survived, maybe you're not the same guy who I went to that Stark show with but neither am I and neither of us have been broken by life. What we have is a chance."

"A chance?"

"At happiness, there is nothing I wouldn't have given in '39 to be able to kiss you in the middle of the street or marry you or actually be able to tell you I love you. Now I can do all of that and yes, things have changed and you have nightmares and so do I but we can work all of this out together. Unless…you don't feel the same way about me that I feel about you."

For a terrible moment Steve thought he was wrong and then Bucky crowded Steve back into the door. "I love you, Steven. I want this chance too, so much I'm terrified."

Steve smiled and kissed Bucky. That night, for the first time since Bucky left for war, they slept together – Bucky's ear pressed to Steve's chest but this time he couldn't hear a wheeze or crackle just the reassuring beat of Steve's heart.

**The End**


End file.
